The project
In search of a new diagnostic method for Lyme disease
Towards a new diagnosis of Lyme disease through nanotechnology, atomic spectrometry, and artificial intelligence.
The nanoLyme project is an ambitious research initiative dedicated to improving the diagnosis of Lyme disease, a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia, transmitted through tick bites. This disease, which affects thousands of people each year in Europe and North America, presents significant challenges for early diagnosis, which can lead to serious complications in patients. NanoLyme seeks to overcome these barriers by using advanced technology to provide faster and more accurate diagnosis.
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that occurs when a person is bitten by a tick infected with Borrelia bacteria. In its early stages, the disease may cause mild symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and a characteristic rash known as erythema migrans. However, if not detected and treated early, it can progress to more severe stages affecting the joints, nervous system, and other organs, which can lead to long-term disabilities.
Currently, it is estimated that a significant number of cases of Lyme disease are not correctly diagnosed, which delays the initiation of treatment and contributes to the disease becoming chronic. This is an especially common problem in areas where Borrelia-carrying ticks are endemic.
Diagnostic challenges
The diagnosis of Lyme disease remains one of the major challenges for healthcare professionals. The most common tests, such as ELISA and Western Blot, rely on the detection of antibodies, which means that infection can only be confirmed once the immune system has begun to react. In the early stages of infection, these tests may not detect the disease, leading to false negatives and delaying treatment.
In addition, the symptoms of Lyme disease are often nonspecific and can be confused with other conditions, adding an additional level of difficulty in diagnosis. Early treatment is crucial, as it can prevent long-term complications, but physicians face significant challenges in identifying the disease in its early stages.
Objectives of the nanoLyme project
The main objective of the nanoLyme project is to develop a diagnostic method that can detect the presence of Borrelia bacteria in the body directly and rapidly, without relying on the patient’s immune response. This will be achieved through the application of innovative technologies such as single-cell inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (single-cell ICP-MS) and artificial intelligence. This approach will enable greater accuracy and sensitivity in the detection of Lyme disease.
Through the use of nanoparticles and advanced molecular analysis techniques, nanoLyme aims to detect the presence of the bacterium even in minute quantities, which would allow early diagnosis, in many cases before the patient shows obvious symptoms. This breakthrough could revolutionize not only the treatment of Lyme disease, but also the management of other bacterial infections.
Technological innovation
One of the keys to the nanoLyme project is developing a nanotechnology platform applied to diagnostics. By integrating nanotechnology and atomic spectrometry, researchers will be able to analyze biological samples at the cellular level, directly detecting the bacteria.
Mass spectrometry is a method that allows measuring the characteristics of particles and molecules at the atomic scale, which guarantees high precision in the identification of pathogens. In addition, the project incorporates artificial intelligence to analyze large volumes of data, optimizing test results and improving the efficiency of the diagnostic process.
Impact on the medical community
The technological innovations developed by the project are expected to have a profound impact on medicine. The ability to diagnose Lyme disease early and accurately will significantly improve effective treatment rates, reducing chronic complications. Furthermore, this technology could be adapted to diagnose other bacterial infections, opening new avenues for medical research.
In addition, by improving diagnosis, the nanoLyme project will also help patients receive appropriate treatment more quickly, reducing the burden on healthcare systems and improving the quality of life of those affected by the disease.
International collaboration
The nanoLyme project is the result of collaboration between several renowned academic institutions and research centers, underscoring its multidisciplinary and global nature. Project partners include the University of Zaragoza (Spain), the Health Research Institute of Aragon (Spain), the CNRS (France), and the University Hospital of Lannemezan (France). This international collaboration allows combining knowledge from different scientific fields to address the challenge of Lyme disease diagnosis from different perspectives.
Project funding
With approximately 1,160,000 euros in funding, nanoLyme has been made possible thanks to the support of various entities, both public and private. This budget has enabled the acquisition of state-of-the-art technologies and the development of innovative diagnostic methods that may mark a before and after in the treatment of the disease.
Future prospects
The nanoLyme project not only seeks to provide an immediate solution to improve the diagnosis of Lyme disease, but also lays the groundwork for new applications in the field of infectious diseases. The developed technology could be used to diagnose other bacterial diseases, opening up a wide range of possibilities in preventive medicine.
In the future, it is expected that the results of nanoLyme will inspire other similar projects and that the developed technology will be applied in other clinical settings. The project is poised to expand, both in terms of impact and scientific applications, once the testing and validation phases are completed.